Late Rally in Game One and Dargie's 12 K's in Game Two Help Cougars Sweep Defiance

(Howell, MI)-- The Cleary Cougar softball team returned to action on Saturday to take on the Defiance College Yellow Jackets in a WHAC double-header.  The game was moved to Cleary's Lake Trust Stadium due to rainy weather and field conditions at Defiance, as the Yellow Jackets maintained the home team status for both games.

In Game 1:  A three-run home-run by the Yellow Jackets in the bottom of the third inning gave Defiance the lead with the first runs of the game.  That score would hold until the top of the seventh inning, when the Cougars utilized defensive miscues by the Yellow Jackets to tie the game, and eventually take the lead for good.  Gabrille Monreal reached on an error to lead off the inning, and advanced to third on a Courtney Witten double.  Monreal would score on another fielding error to get the Cougars on the board.  After a walk loaded the bases, Mia Rzepka was hit by a pitch to make the score 3-2.  An infield single by Mckenzie Latshaw gave the Cougars the lead at 4-3.  A safety squeeze would score another Cougar run, and a Maddie Bunkoske single up the middle made it 7-3.  The Cougars would not be done with that, however, as a throwing error allowed another run to score, and Olivia DeJohn hit a two-run home-run to left field to make the score 10-3.  Haley Ludwig would go 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning to earn the game one victory.

Haley Ludwig struck out 6, and allowed 3 unearned runs on 6 hits in a complete game effort to secure the win.  Lauren Gannon and Courtney Witten each had two hits to lead the Cleary offense, while Mckenzie Latshaw and Olivia DeJohn had 2 RBI apiece in the game.

In Game 2: Mia Rzepka led off the game with a walk and a steal to get into scoring position.  After a groundout advanced the runner, Rzepka scored after an error to give the Cougars the early 1-0 lead.  Defiance would tie the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, when a dropped pop-up with two outs allowed the run to come into score, making the score 1-1.  Neither team would get the hits they needed to take the lead, and extra innings were required.  In the top of the twelth inning, a one-out walk by Mckenzie Latshaw got the go-ahead run on base.  With Grace MacCaughan pinch-running, the Cougars would steal second, and MacCaughan would score when Jenna Wagenschutz hit a double to left field, to make the score 2-1.  Like her teammate in game one, Halle Dargie would go 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning to secure the victory.

Halle Dargie would throw a complete game with 12 strikeouts, and allowed 1 unearned run on 8 hits in 12 innings of action.  Olivia DeJohn, Gabrielle Monreal, and Paulina O'Donohue all had two hits to lead the offense for the Cougars.  

Cleary improves to 10-16 overall, 6-4 in the WHAC.  The Cougars will be back in action with another WHAC double-header at Lake Trust Stadium on Sunday, when they welcome the Lourdes Gray Wolves.  First pitch is set to begin at 1:00 PM.